Released 40 years ago
The 2 Live Crew Is What We Are
2 Live Crew · 1986
32 min · 8 tracks · Southern hip-hop
Raw and provocative beats pulse beneath sexually charged lyrics delivered with brash confidence and playful bravado.
Top tracks — play these first
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We Want Some Pussy!! — This track epitomizes the group's unabashed approach to sexuality, combining catchy hooks with unapologetic lyrics that set the tone for their brand of humor and controversy.
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Throw the ‘D’ — With its infectious beat and playful wordplay, this song showcases the group's unique Southern hip-hop style while reinforcing their party-centric ethos.
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Check It Out Y’all… (freestyle rappin’) — This track highlights the group's improvisational skills and ability to engage audiences with freestyle elements, reflecting the spontaneous nature of hip-hop culture at the time.
Elevation
Our rating, out of 100 — and why.
AI-generated from five scored dimensions. An opinion, not a measurement.
The album's raw sound and explicit themes mark it as a significant entry in hip-hop history, influencing debates on censorship.
What we noticed
- The album opens with a spoken word intro that sets a provocative tone, followed by tracks that feature repetitive hooks and sexually explicit lyrics.
- Each track maintains a raw production style, often relying on simple drum machine beats and bass lines that emphasize rhythm over melody.
- The delivery is characterized by brash confidence, with multiple verses featuring call-and-response elements between the lead rapper and backing vocals.
- Composition 25% of the score
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6/10
- Craft 20% of the score
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5/10
- Durability 25% of the score
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4/10
- Distinctiveness 18% of the score
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7/10
- Sequencing 12% of the score
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5/10
the writing — melody, harmony, structure, lyrics
production, performance, arrangement
whether it rewards returning to it
whether it sounds like itself
running order, pacing, length
Defined its genre or moment. Reported but not counted — how far a record travelled describes its reception rather than the record, and a newer release has had less time to travel than an older one.
Tracklist
Best experienced from track one — press play and let it unfold.
- 1 2 Live Is What We Are… (Word) 4:17
- 2 We Want Some Pussy!! 2:49
- 3 Check It Out Y’all… (freestyle rappin’) 5:03
- 4 Get It Girl 3:55
- 5 Throw the ‘D’ 3:09
- 6 Cut It Up 3:49
- 7 Beat Box… (remix) 4:32
- 8 Mr. Mixx on the Mix!! 5:13
Reference: Wikipedia · MusicBrainz · Wikidata
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